Latest news with #MargaretThatcher
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Film-maker Adam Curtis on why this moment feels so weird
Adam Curtis is a journalist who delves deep into the BBC archive to make films about the ideas and feelings that define our times. In his latest series of films, Shifty, Curtis charts how Margaret Thatcher and her government transformed Britain by transferring power to the world of finance and by promoting a radical individualism. In conversation with Michael Safi, Curtis discusses the way his films try to capture what an idea feels like, how the ideas of the 1980s have led us to feelings of powerlessness and melancholy, and how new ideas are the key to a different future. Support the Guardian today:
Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Sir Edward Osmotherly obituary: civil servant who defined role of committees
The present system of having a cross-party 'select' committee of backbench MPs to scrutinise the work of each government department was introduced in 1980, during Margaret Thatcher's first term as prime minister. The committees were empowered to summon and cross-examine ministers, but their powers regarding civil servants were less clear-cut. To what extent could officials be held accountable, and how much could they be expected to reveal? After all, their job was to advise ministers and implement government policy — not to decide it. To resolve that question Edward Osmotherly, a courteous, well-respected, old-school civil servant in the Machinery of Government Division of the Cabinet Office was asked to develop a set of guidelines which became known as the 'Osmotherly Rules' and have largely survived to this day. They stipulate that civil servants are not directly accountable to parliament and cannot be summoned by select committees; if their appearance is disputed, their minister should attend instead. The rules also cover other potentially problematic situations. Can a select committee summon a retired civil servant? Do civil servants enjoy parliamentary privilege? At what point does the cost of them supplying information become excessive? Are they covered by sub judice laws? Can they withhold and redact evidence on national security and public interest grounds? Osmotherly believed the select committee system was an essential component of a parliamentary democracy, and his rules struck a balance between the rights of the committees and those of civil servants. He was rewarded for that, and for a lifetime of public service, with a knighthood in 2002, and by having a rodent-catching cat named after him by the Cabinet Office in 2016. Edward Benjamin Crofton Osmotherly was born in Down Hatherley in Gloucestershire in 1942, the second child and only son of Crofton and Elsie Osmotherly, both teachers. He was raised in East Ham, east London, and attended the local grammar school where his academic talent secured him a place at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. After graduating with a degree in history and anthropology in 1963, he joined the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, and within three years was serving as a ministerial private secretary. One of his ministers, Bob Mellish, liked to relax in a sauna at the end of the week and expected Osmotherly to accompany him with his box of official papers. In 1970 he married Valerie Mustill, his boss's daughter. They settled in north London where they had a daughter, Zoe, who works as an administrator at a barristers' chambers, and a son, John, a technician at University College London. In 1972 Osmotherly won a year-long Harkness fellowship which took him to the Brookings Institution in Washington and — after a road trip across the US — to the University of California at Berkeley. On his return he joined the Department of the Environment, spent a year on secondment to the board of British Railways, and in 1980 joined the Cabinet Office where he was given the task of developing what a journalist dubbed the 'Osmotherly Rules'. In 1982 he joined the Department of Transport where he occupied several senior roles over the following decade and was closely involved in the privatisation of British Railways during John Major's premiership. In 1993 he left the civil service after 30 years, but remained a public servant. He spent eight years as a local government ombudsman, investigating complaints against local councils. He also chaired a review of ways to improve the government's business statistics. His report was published in 1996, and led to the creation of the independent Office for National Statistics through a merger of the Central Statistical Office and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Finding himself bored after leaving the ombudsman's job, he became an adviser to the European scrutiny committee of the House of Commons — one of the committees to which the Osmotherly Rules applied. He finally retired in 2010, and indulged his love of reading. A few years later he was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) which affected his sight and spatial awareness but not, at least to begin with, his memory and cognitive abilities. In 2018 he participated in a research project at University College London where he was asked to perform tasks such as painting lines on a canvas with motion sensors attached to his body. There he was interviewed by Fergus Walsh, the BBC's medical correspondent. The project was 'much more fun than a drug trial', he joked before issuing a heartfelt plea to the public: 'Please talk to people with dementia as if they were human beings. Don't be frightened of them.' Sir Edward Osmotherly, civil servant, was born on August 1, 1942. He died of PCA dementia on February 18, 2025, aged 82
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Michael Moynihan: Can you pass a Leaving Cert exam about Cork?
I know it's traditional to wish those sitting the Leaving Cert exams all the best before those tests actually start, but how about now, when it hasn't quite finished? Looking at the timetable, I see a good few subjects have been done, and some of the remaining tests are pretty esoteric, but still: thoughts and best wishes to those still facing the LC. It won't be long now, believe me, when you'll be able to forget your test number rather than having it haunt you 40 years on. (085087246. Brr.) Count yourselves lucky you are not facing the exam next year, however, when there will be a new subject on the curriculum. Find below the first example of test papers in a whole new field I am proposing to the Department of Education: Cork studies. This is a deeper, richer examination of our heritage, one with a robust academic footing that takes cognisance of a history and context going back into the mists of (and so on in a similar vein for a while). It is also something of a response to a friend of mine who, while generally liberal on most matters, adopts a very strong Toryish line on one specific issue. People in Cork who are originally from other counties but who get their children to support their parents' counties rather than Cork, the place those children were born and raised and educated, a gross betrayal... (I once tried to point out this was dangerously close to Norman Tebbit's old cricket test: one of Margaret Thatcher's grimmer handmaidens, Tebbit asked if the children of immigrants to England supported their parents' countries in cricket games between those nations, but I didn't belabour the point. He gets a reddish light in his eye when he's talking about this). Anyway. Cork studies. We won't be jumping head first into the Leaving Cert, of course. Junior certificate examination first. If you're interested in getting a jump on the opposition, am happy to supply a sample JC test paper (ordinary level, but what harm). JUNIOR CERTIFICATE (ORDINARY LEVEL) 1. What is the first line of the second verse of The Banks? A. What is The Banks? B. 'Tis a beautiful land this dear isle of song. C. After all I really love you. 2. From Cork I go up to Dublin but I go - - Youghal. A. Across to. B. Over to. C. Down to. 3. Where is 98 Street? Off the Bandon Road and down to Noonan Road. Is 98 Street down the side of Lennox's? Down the side of Lennox's. Both of the above at the same time. 4. Everyone in Cork knows where the airport is. Where was it supposed to be located? A. Carrigtwohill. B. Nad. C. Castletownberehaven. 5. The most dangerous pedestrian crossing in Cork is: A. Where Victoria Avenue, Victoria Road, and Blackrock Road meet. B. Any crossing next to or near to the Elysian. C. Getting from Merchant's Quay to Bridge Street (any route). 6. Cork's natural enemies are: A. Kerry people. B. Dublin people. C. Ah, would you stop. Once you've taken this intermediate step you are then ready for the senior cycle (it should be noted here there will be no exemptions of any sort granted on any basis to any Leaving Cert student attending a Cork school). The questions below are from a sample paper which illustrates the multidisciplinary nature of Cork Studies. LEAVING CERTIFICATE (HIGHER LEVEL) MUSIC: In the song 'The Armoured Car' we are reminded that while glory is a fleeting sensation which vanishes in a heartbeat, a good dog is forever. Discuss this statement, developing your response with reference to the song of the same name. Bonus points for citing 'The Armoured Car's real name. ECONOMICS: The fragile cash-based economy of the North Monastery primary school was rocked by a devastating event in 1975, when a bottle of Cadet (red lemonade) and a bag of Tayto crisps moved beyond 5p. This made it necessary to possess two coins, not one, for this essential food combination. Track the effect of this price rise on the schoolboy economy with reference to the oil crisis occurring across the world at the time. ENGLISH: What is the greatest poem ever written about or in Cork? Use quotations in your answer, with special consideration to be given to references to The Rancher's Curse, A Nocturne for Blackpool, and Cúl an Tí. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the smallest hill in Ireland, easily accessible within Cork? Bonus points if the downstairs pub nearby, now long gone, can be named. ACCOUNTING: If a small shed on Patrick's Street is removed from its original location and abandoned in a yard until it starts to fall to pieces, how much should it cost to relocate and renovate that small shed years later in another part of Cork? Bonus points if a breakdown of the costs of filming said work can be provided. HISTORY: Examine the proposed location of the Event Centre, with reference to other facilities in Cork which might have been placed in more advantageous settings (Junior Cert students may recall pointed questions about the airport). Examine the proposed location of the Event Centre, with reference to other facilities in Cork which might have been placed in more advantageous settings. Picture: Larry Cummins Bonus points for any evidence of traffic congestion at the South Gate Bridge circa 1788, not at all likely to recur when the new centre is built. E NGINEERING: When the South City Luas is eventually installed, what tune should be played to soothe passengers, particularly when the Northside of the city comes into view? Bonus points for any combination of 'Southern Nights', 'South Of The Border', or 'Take Me To The River'. ART: The so-called 'Robot Trees' were supposedly introduced to Cork to help purify the air of the city, but are now recognised as one of the most audacious modern art installations of the 21st century. Cork's Robot Trees: Describe the levels of irony involved in this piece, how those pieces have forced more attention on the concept of a 'bench', and locate them in the pantheon of modern Irish art. Picture: Andy Gibson Describe the levels of irony involved in this piece, how those pieces have forced more attention on the concept of a 'bench', and locate them in the pantheon of modern Irish art. Bonus points for students explaining the persistence of bird poo on the remaining parts of the RTs. BIOLOGY: Account for the strength of the female bladder in Cork as evidenced by the lack of public toilets for same within the city centre. Bonus points for references citing personal experience without being too graphic. BUSINESS: If there are seven vape shops in Cork City for every citizen, then how are a) Corkonians ingesting more vaping products than the entire population of Los Angeles and b) how are all those shops turning a profit? Bonus points if accounts can be cross-indexed with those of phone repair outlets. The eagle-eyed may have noted the focus on examinations above rather than the syllabus itself. In an effort to reduce teaching burdens, this will be self-directed learning on the part of the students, absorbed through their lived experience in Cork. In other words, if they know, they don't need to be told. If they need to be told, they just don't know what it means to be from Cork.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Has Keir Starmer finally mastered the art of the U-turn?
The prime minister's problem is that making one U-turn gives your party an appetite for more, and anxious Labour MPs are feeling ravenous. Today, the government is publishing its Bill to reduce the welfare budget by £5bn, including controversial cuts to disability and sickness benefits. More than 150 Labour MPs are unhappy about the cuts, and about 50 might oppose them. Ministers admit privately there will be "tweaks" – for example, disabled people will not lose their personal independence payment (PIP) for 13 weeks, rather than four – but they don't go far enough for the rebels. In public, ministers are adamant there will be no further concessions and that any changes do not amount to a U-turn, not least because Rachel Reeves is relying on the savings to stay within her fiscal rules. However, more tweaks will almost certainly be offered before the crucial vote on the Bill early next month. Why do politicians fear headlines with the U-word? They like to look strong and in control of events – even though they know they are not, especially in the world of Trump 2.0. U-turns came to symbolise weakness in 1980 after Margaret Thatcher told Tory moderates who were demanding a change of course: "You turn if you want to; the lady's not for turning." The label sticks to Starmer because he has form. His left-wing critics are still seething that, in their eyes, he ran for the leadership in 2020 on a false prospectus – seen as "Corbynism without Corbyn" – and then ditched several campaign pledges. They included higher income tax for the top five per cent of earners; the abolition of university tuition fees and universal credit; common ownership of mail, energy and water, although rail is returning to public ownership; free movement between the UK and EU; abolition of the House of Lords and a Prevention of Military Intervention Act to ensure "no more illegal wars." Last night, the PM defended his latest volte-face on the grooming gangs. During the G7 summit in Canada, Chris Mason, the BBC's political editor, pointedly asked him whether he could understand "why critics say they don't know what you stand for" and see "a pattern of behaviour here about you having to be led by the nose to do the right thing?" Ouch! Starmer replied: "I don't have any difficulty in saying I'm a common sense, practical, get the job done, fix the problem politician. I am not ideological." He is hoping voters prefer his pragmatic approach to dogmatism. On the grooming affair, he could cite John Maynard Keynes's timeless defence: 'When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?' When Baroness Casey, who carried out an audit for the government, changed her mind about the need for a national inquiry, Starmer had no option but to follow. He would have been crucified for resisting and would have eventually given way. Yet there remains a question of his judgment in ruling out a national investigation in January and accusing the Conservatives of jumping on a far-right bandwagon. Some Starmer allies, Labour MPs and Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, thought then that a national inquiry was inevitable. Politicians love to crow when opponents make a U-turn. Kemi Badenoch demanded an apology from Starmer for changing his mind on a grooming inquiry. Yet she refused to make a public apology to the victims, even though the last Tory government did not implement a single one of the 20 recommendations in Alexis Jay's 2022 inquiry into child sexual abuse. Badenoch, who was minister for women and equalities from 2022 to 24, didn't want headlines about the Tories' record, but, as on the economy, she cannot escape it. She had the brass neck to say 'we should take the politics out of it' as she appeared alongside survivors of the grooming scandal a day after attacking Starmer's handling of the issue in the Commons. That was an unedifying spectacle of playground politics on such a sensitive issue. Casey was right to call out Badenoch's Commons response and call for a cross-party approach. Starmer rightly occupied the high ground by declining to ask Badenoch to apologise for the Tories' record. I think U-turns matter less than party leaders imagine. Labour backbenchers cite a tale of two by-elections. Last month, Labour lost its Runcorn and Helsby seat to Reform UK. Three weeks later, Starmer announced his U-turn on the winter fuel payment. Then Labour unexpectedly won a Scottish parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. "The difference on the doorstep was remarkable," one Labour MP who campaigned in both contests told me. "The change on winter fuel meant we got a hearing. People noticed it." Better late than never; the winter fuel retreat was more damaging because it was made in slow motion. The lesson for Starmer: if you are going to do a U-turn, do it quickly to limit the political pain.
Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Trump makes his G7 exit, pursued by a Carney
Donald Trump's early departure from the G7 robbed us of a truly tense political meeting. Bilaterals between the president and the Canadian PM Mark Carney are already fraught affairs, but there was a possibility that they were going to throw a grizzly bear into the mix. Carney wanted to play golf with Trump at Kananaskis, which would have been a brilliant diplomatic move if the course was not a hot spot for bears. Journalists covering the summit have even spotted 'The Boss', a beloved grizzly who roams the course (no word on his handicap, but the water hazards pose no problem for him). Weighing in at more than 200lb and posing a genuine threat to people's safety, Trump passed up on the opportunity to golf with the bear and returned to Washington. As he launched his new biography of Margaret Thatcher, the broadcaster Iain Dale revealed that he'd once had a clinch with the lady herself but, alas, this was not a scene from a Westminster romance. It was at a dinner Dale organised, shortly after Mrs T had suffered a stroke and her doctors said she could no longer speak in public. On the night, therefore, Dale's job was to keep her from the microphone but, when the evening ended and he said goodbye to Mr Thatcher, he let his guard slip. 'I ran after her,' Dale said. 'I had my arm around her waist pulling her away from the microphone but she grabbed it.' He needn't have worried for her: she was responding to left-wing journalists who were mocking her downfall. 'Thank you for that reception,' she boomed at them. 'It's the kind of reception only an ex-prime minister can get!' The former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has become a bikini model after taking the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, but she blames parliament for the previously piled-on pounds. 'Endless' dinners were a problem, while it seems that some Westminster residents were keen to put her off the healthy options. 'One night I walked into the members' tea room,' she tells Table Talk, 'and there was a mouse eating the lettuce which looked up at me as I approached the salad bar.' This forced Dorries to abandon the greens agenda. Good news for George Osborne. After yesterday's story on him wanting to read Boris Johnson's memoirs without giving his old colleague some money, TMS has now received an offer of a second-hand copy for the former chancellor to peruse, so he need only get in touch. The generous donor, a Westminster hack, says: 'I was sent two review copies of the Boris book and I've been unable to give away the second one.' It had never occurred to him that friends of the author would be such a fertile market. MI6 has its first female head as Blaise Metreweli becomes C, a letter which has been passed down from the very first 'chief', Mansfield Cumming. What has not been passed down (one hopes) is his idiosyncratic interviewing technique. He had a wooden leg and, in the course of talking to potential recruits, would take a knife and stab it through his trousers. If the applicant winced, Cumming would say: 'Well, I'm afraid you won't do.'
